Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has called on the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to expedite investigations into allegations surrounding a purported GH¢70,000 payment linked to the vetting of ministerial and Supreme Court nominees.
The alleged payment has been associated with the Deputy Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Asokwa, Patricia Appiagyei, in connection with her work on Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
In a statement issued by Parliament on Saturday, September 5, 2026, Mr Bagbin said the allegations must be thoroughly investigated to establish the facts, particularly because they relate to the work of a parliamentary committee.
“The Rt. Hon. Speaker welcomes any lawful investigation directed at establishing the facts and urges the Office of the Special Prosecutor to pursue the matter thoroughly and expeditiously,” Parliament said.
According to the Speaker, the investigation should determine not only whether any GH¢70,000 payment was made but also establish the authenticity of the memorandum at the centre of the controversy.
Parliament noted that it had not independently verified the disputed document and, therefore, would not make any determination on the competing claims until the facts had been established.
“Parliament wishes to state that it has not independently verified the authenticity of the memorandum and will therefore not, at this stage, make any determination as to the truth or otherwise of the competing claims,” the statement said.
The controversy stems from the circulation of a purported memorandum allegedly authored by Mrs Appiagyei and addressed to Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh.
The document reportedly suggested that Mrs Appiagyei had returned GH¢70,000 allegedly given to her as an advance in relation to the vetting exercise.
Mrs Appiagyei, however, has denied receiving or returning the alleged payment, describing the claims as false and the memorandum as fabricated.
The OSP has subsequently commenced preliminary investigations to establish the veracity of the allegations, the source of the disputed document and the circumstances surrounding its circulation.
Speaker Bagbin further indicated that should the investigation establish that the memorandum was fabricated or falsely attributed to the Deputy Minority Leader, the matter should not end there.
He called for the involvement of the Cyber Security Authority and other relevant law enforcement agencies to identify persons responsible for any alleged fabrication and, where evidence supports criminal wrongdoing, ensure that the appropriate legal action is taken.
The Speaker’s position comes amid growing public interest in the allegations and their potential implications for the integrity of Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
Parliament has meanwhile urged the public and the media to exercise restraint and avoid further circulation of the disputed memorandum or drawing conclusions before the investigation is completed.
Mr Bagbin reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to transparency, accountability and the protection of the integrity of its parliamentary processes.
He stressed that the controversy must ultimately be resolved through credible evidence and in accordance with the law.
